Impact of selected fungi from an artificial diet on the growth and development of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Abstract Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is one of the very few Drosophila species which are able to lay eggs and feed on healthy ripening fruit. Adults and larvae are all able to obtain the nutrition in the decaying food, which will generate many microorganisms. However, the relationship between D. suzukii and microorganism is poorly understood. In this study, 13 species of fungi were identified in an artificial diet fed by D. suzukii . Short-term and continuously life table experiments were conducted to determine the impact of three of these fungus species including Geotrichum candidum , Talaromyces minioluteus and Actinomucor elegans on the growth and development of Drosophila suzukii . Results revealed that, compared to the control, G. candidum , T. minioluteus and A. elegans increased the mortality of D. suzukii adults in the short time, while extended the developmental time of pupal D. suzukii by 18.00%, 16.22% and 26.44%, respectively in the life table experiment. T. minioluteus reduced the total longevity of D. suzukii by 15.52%, while A. elegans enhanced the total longevity by 25.96%. G. candidum and A. elegans increased the fecundity by more than two folds. T. minioluteus elongated the mean generation time ( T ) by 31.34%, whereas G. candidum shortened it by 15.26% but increased the net reproductive rate ( R 0 ) by 217.76%, intrinsic rate of increase (r) by 88.89% and finite rate of increase (λ) by 9.17%. It was concluded that G. candidum and A. elegans significantly had the beneficial effect on the growth and reproduction of D. suzukii , however, T. minioluteus had the negative effect on D. suzukii . Our results could provide a new integrated pest management strategy for D. suzukii which would be discussed in this study.